AATA Blog
Featured Member: Irene Silva
“There are so many talented art therapist’s I have met along my journey and I am so proud to be a part of this group in making small differences with huge impacts.”
– Irene Silva
Featured Member: Rebecca Wilkinson
“Working with people with severe mental illness has taught me to appreciate the range of human strengths and experiences in the midst of challenges.”
— Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT
Featured Member: Charmaine Husum
“My hopes for the profession of art therapy is that it be recognized for the gold standard of psychotherapy that it is.”
— Charmaine Husum
Featured Member: Patsy Mika
“I remember the exact moment I fell in love with art therapy. I was in high school and speaking with my guidance counselor. I was sharing with her that I felt torn between psychology and art, and wasn’t sure where to place my focus when choosing electives. The moment she told me that art therapy was a field I felt so much excitement and possibility! I went home and began the research. It made so much sense to me to connect with individuals through art.”
Featured Member: Kerry Kruk-Borisov
“I hope the profession continues to support the need for research initiatives through meaningful collaborations across disciplines, as well as the expansion of research institutes to grow research efforts across and outside of academia.”
From Three to Fifty: The Journey of Building Delaware’s Art Therapy Community
By Terri Willis, MA, ATR-BC, LPAT
When I joined the field as a new George Washington University (GWU) graduate in 1988, Delaware was served by only three art therapists. A Delaware native, I returned to plant a seed about the field of Art Therapy and now write this while enjoying semi-retirement at my beach house in Bethany Beach. I hope to bring my art therapy colleagues together on August 14th for a virtual event sponsored by AATA.
Welcome to What Will Be the Best Day of Your Art Therapy Journey
By Christine Troll
During my conference experience, I felt as though I was finally in a place that I belong! I can’t ever remember feeling so connected to my profession, and that feeling has long outlasted the end of last year’s conference!
Featured Member: Natalee Bigger Stockdale
“Work to make space to listen to your own heart journey and maximize on your strengths. When you find others who resonate with your work, keep them close. They do not necessarily have to be art therapists. I see research as advocacy in that it can be transformative and authentically life-changing.”
Featured Member: Irene Silva
“I had an absolutely wonderful time at this past year’s AATA conference in Pittsburgh, PA. For my first time attending an AATA Conference, I was able to reunite with art therapists I met and admired in the field. I learned about the different applications art therapy has within different populations. I was able to be a witness to the active support art therapists gave to each other, and this furthered my motivation to work towards my goals within the field. ‘This is where I belong!’ ”
Featured Member: BA Short
“It’s crucial that the field of art therapy continues to prioritize inclusivity and genuinely meet participants where they are. This means actively working to decenter power dynamics within therapeutic relationships and increasing awareness of the many social justice issues we face in our world today.”